California or Bust
by McAWrites
Summary: When Rachel Berry unwittingly takes a cross-country road trip with April Rhodes, anything could happen.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Glee.

Note: This is based on a prompt I found on Pinterest to 'write a story about an alcoholic middle aged woman and a teenage girl who ride around in a truck saving people from stuff'. I imagine that with these two, that 'stuff' will likely be wardrobe malfunctions, sobriety, and boredom. Stay tuned, and let me know what you think! Reviews welcome.

* * *

Rachel wasn't sure how she had ended up riding shotgun as April Rhodes floored the gas pedal through town, but she was already planning her own eulogy.

'Here lies Rachel Berry. None of us really liked her, but we've all got to admit that the girl could sing.'

"Where did you come from?" April demanded, swerving dangerously close to the edge of the road as she turned her head to stare at her passenger.

"We were talking and you told me to get into the truck."

"Then hold my cat. Careful, he doesn't like road trips." Before Rachel could respond, the older woman had deposited a fat orange cat on her lap. It immediately placed its paws on her shoulders and proceeded to sniff her face. "I can't believe you'd think getting into a vehicle with a complete stranger would be a good idea."

Rachel could only shrug hopelessly as the cat began kneading its claws into her leg.

"Well," April concluded, taking a swig from the bedazzled flask in the drink holder, "you might as well buckle up, cause this baby ain't stoppin' til we reach Hollywood."

"Can't you just let me out at that stop sign right ahead?" Rachel asked desperately, "I've got school tomorrow."

"What stop sign?" April laughed, barreling though the intersection and causing a blue Honda to screech to a stop inches from the passenger side door.

"Are you insane? Those are there for a reason!"

"I like to think of them as more a suggestion."

"If you don't let me out right now," Rachel declared, retrieving her cellphone from her purse, "I'm calling the police. You are effectively kidnapping me."

"That's a really nice phone, can I see it?" April asked, easily swiping it from the girl's hands. In one fluid motion, she tossed it out the window. Rachel's mouth hung wide open as she stared out the back window of the truck as her only means of communication quickly disappeared. The vehicle was silent as April merged onto I-75 southbound.

'We'll have to stop for gas eventually, and I'll be able to make my escape then.' Rachel reminded herself as she reluctantly buckled her seatbelt and mindlessly stroked the purring cat in her lap.

"Woohoo!" April shrieked, swerving even more as she opened all of the windows from the panel on her door, and stuck her head outside like a dog, "California or bust!"

Rachel sighed and reached for the flask. She was really going to have to start examining her life choices. She took a swig of the beverage and made a face as the alcohol hit her tongue. She wanted to scold April for putting them both in danger by drinking and driving. She thought about it for a minute though, and realized that it probably would just be a waste of energy and decided to have another drink instead.

* * *

Note number 2: Drinking while driving is not only illegal, but it is super irresponsible and puts both yourself and others at risk.

According to MADD dot org, Every two minutes, a person is injured in a drunk driving crash. (Source) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. "The Economic and Societal Impact Of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2010." National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, May 2014, DOT HS 812 013. . .


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Glee

* * *

 _Earlier_

" _But you used to be a star and that didn't stop you from making friends," Rachel argued, watching the older blonde as she moved around the house gathering items here and there and stuffing them into a large designer tote bag._

" _Oh honey, I'm still a star," April replied as she collected a sequined cardigan and tossed her bag over her shoulder. "And as for friends, who needs 'em? If the people in your life can't support you because you're successful, then it's time to move on."_

 _April wasn't telling Rachel anything she hadn't heard before. The whole reason she had even come to the mansion today was in hopes of learning more about how to be a people person, specifically, how she could change her personality to be somebody people would like. She was tired of always being an outcast because people were so intimidated by her talents, and here was April Rhodes telling her to be herself._

 _Her disappointment must have shown on her face, because April's next words were spoken in a soothing tone._

" _Aw sweetie, you really want to learn something about life?"_

 _Rachel nodded, her eyes widened and she began fishing around in her purse for her pen and notepad. April walked out the front door and was halfway across the yard before Rachel realized that she should be following._

" _Where are you going?" she cried, dropping her writing tools back into the depths of her bag and giving chase. April was opening the driver's side door of an old blue truck._

" _Get in the truck," the blonde commanded, hoisting herself into her seat and slamming the door behind her. "Hurry up if you're coming, we haven't got all day."_

 _Rachel hesitated for a moment, all of her dad's warning about not getting into cars with strangers flashing through her mind. 'It's a truck,' she argued with her mental voice, the small technicality made everything okay, didn't it? She also sort of knew April, so it wasn't like she was getting into a van with a strange man offering her free candy._

" _What now?" she asked, the truck started moving before she had even buckled her seatbelt._

" _Now we drive," April replied. She pulled a pair of sunglasses from the backseat and placed them on her face. "There's nothing like the open road to give you a little perspective."_

 _Rachel thought that over, and realized that she did find the sensation of riding in the truck to be quite relaxing. That is, until April ran the stop sign and got on the interstate._

* * *

"What do you hope to find out in California?" Rachel asked tonelessly. She had given up on her attempts to get April to stop and let her out. They had gone too far, and she was afraid of hitchhiking. There were too many risks involved, and knowing her luck, she'd get picked up by a serial killer who would have his way with her youthful flesh and then dump her dead body in a ditch. She really wasn't feeling that option.

"Will you shut up?" April snapped, swerving again as she whipped her face toward her passenger, "all you've done since we got in the truck is gripe and complain. I'm trying to take a nap!"

"You're driving!" Rachel gasped, alarmed.

"Do you see anybody else on the road at this hour?"

There really wasn't much traffic, just them and a couple of eighteen wheelers.

"If you're tired, maybe I should drive for a while," Rachel suggested, mostly out of self-preservation.

"Oh no," April snorted, "I don't trust you, little missy. You'd just wait until I fell asleep then turn us around and drive back to Ohio."

"I hadn't even thought about that," Rachel replied honestly, "I just don't want to die horribly in a car accident because you fell asleep at the wheel. I promise I won't turn around and drive home. Now will you please pull over and let me drive?"

"Tonight I guess you're right, I'm bushed. I just can't trust you to drive while we're still only a couple of hours from Lima. Keep an eye out for a cheap hotel, will you?"

It was better than nothing. Also, Rachel thought, there would be a phone at the hotel.

* * *

Note: This is another reminder about the dangers of reckless driving. DON'T. Also, never get in a VEHICLE with a stranger.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Glee is not mine

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They had driven through Indiana and had crossed into Illinois when April decided that they would find a hotel at the next exit. It was late, night had fallen several hours ago, and both women were becoming tired and irritable.

"You should get under the backseat. Use the blanket and some of my luggage to conceal yourself," April told her passenger.

"You're insane. I'm not doing that." Rachel replied, crossing her arms over her chest and refusing to even consider the option. April's cat, whom Rachel had mentally named Sir Fluffy-Britches, sank his claws into her legs as he stood and began rubbing his head against her elbows.

"It's no wonder nobody likes you. Too high maintenance to help a person out."

"Maybe if you hadn't kidnapped me, you wouldn't be so worried about somebody seeing me. Besides, I doubt anybody has even realized that I'm missing yet." Rachel was hesitant to add that her dads were off on a business trip, and she hadn't told anybody where she was going after school. She kind of enjoyed watching April stir.

April took the next exit and turned in the direction the arrow for Bob's Hotel pointed. She didn't want to stay in a chain hotel because of the cameras in the lobby. By this point she had realized that bringing the girl against her will had been wrong, but she was not about to tell her that. April had no qualms, however, informing Rachel that she was turning out to be more trouble than she was worth, and that if she had known this sooner, she wouldn't have insisted on bringing her along.

"How unfortunate for the both of us," Rachel replied in a clipped voice as the truck pulled into a dimly lit parking lot beneath a neon sign with several letters burnt out.

"Just stay in the truck," April snarled as she slid her feet back into her sparkling high heels and got out of the truck.

Rachel watched until the blonde disappeared into the building before climbing out of the truck and trying to get some idea as to where she was. There was a truck stop a few blocks away where she was sure to find people who could help her, or at least a pay phone, and she debated about making a run for it. She took another glance back at the doors to the hotel lobby and had just made up her mind to start walking, when April stepped out with a key and some take out menus in hand.

"Oh no you don't!" The blonde shrieked, giving chase as Rachel tore off through the field separating the hotel from the truck stop. She hoped that somebody would hear. The center of the field, far from either the dim light from the hotel or the luminous truck stop, plunged the girls into near total darkness. Rachel could hardly see anything and tripped over a root that came up from the ground in front of her and went sprawling.

She felt tears welling up in her eyes as pain shot through her leg, heard April's footsteps slow nearby, and she recognized the hopelessness of her situation.

"Rachel?"

"I'm here. I think I've twisted my ankle."

"Serves you right for running away like that. Here, let me help you. I think there is an ice machine back at the hotel."

Rachel allowed the blonde to help her stand and tested her foot by putting weight on it. She didn't think it was broken, but it certainly wasn't a pleasant experience. April supported most of her weight as the pair limped back to the hotel and found their room.

"If you promise not to try and make another run for it, I'll go have the attendant lock my keys in the valuables box and get you some ice."

Rachel promised. Luck hadn't been on her side recently, and she was willing to admit that. She realized that while April might be crazy she wasn't planning to hurt her, and that her best bet was to just cooperate and catch a flight home from Los Angeles.

She looked at the phone on the nightstand between the two twin beds and considered calling her dads, and decided against it. She wasn't in any real danger, was she?

Eventually April returned with the ice and Mr. Fluffy-Britches, whom Rachel now felt guilty about forgetting in the car. He snuggled up against her as she sat on the bed with her foot resting on some ice, and scratched his neck. April disconnected the telephone, just in case, and tuned the television to an episode of Real Housewives of Some Place or Other as the girls settled in for the night.

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Reviews would be a pleasant surprise.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Glee.

* * *

The next morning Rachel awoke with the sun streaming in through the window, a throbbing ankle, and a large weight on her chest. The room was unfamiliar, and it took her a few seconds to remember that she was somewhere in Illinois, and nobody knew she was here.

It was sort of freeing, if she was being completely honest with herself. She didn't have to stick to any of her routines. The elliptical was obviously out, if the swelling of her left ankle was anything to go by, and she didn't have any clean clothes to change into, so she didn't have to concern herself with picking out an outfit. She also wouldn't be going to school today, so she probably didn't have any slushy facials to look forward to either.

She did feel kind of grungy though, and decided to take a shower. Sitting up, however, was a bit of a struggle. She raised up onto her elbows and heard a hissing sound as something heavy landed on the floor next to her bed. Now sitting on the edge of the bed, she saw a disgruntled orange cat looking up at her.

"Sorry," she murmured. Carefully she put her feet on the floor and yelped as the weight shifted to her injured ankle.

Maybe she didn't need a shower after all.

She finger combed her hair as best she could and scooped all of it into a ponytail. It wasn't exactly her usual style, but nobody she knew would be seeing her anyway. Next she turned her attention to the woman sprawled across the second bed.

"Wake up," she demanded, tossing one of her lumpy pillows at the mass of blonde hair.

April groaned and rolled over, but didn't make any move to get up. Rachel threw her second pillow.

"Stop that."

"I'm throwing the cat next, and I'm betting that it will really piss him off."

April mumbled something Rachel didn't catch.

"Get up already. You're the one who thought a cross country road trip would be a good idea, so let's get moving. The sooner we get to LA, the sooner we can be free of one another."

That did it. April lazily tossed both of Rachel's pillows back at her. She then stretched her arms above her head as she sat up and all of her sleep matted hair fell unflatteringly into her face.

By the time the girls finally got into the truck, it was shaping up to be a beautiful day.

April drove up to the McDonald's drive-thru, ordered her meal and looked expectantly at Rachel, who removed a couple of dollar bills from her purse and asked for a hash brown and large coffee. April frowned as she repeated this and added an extra McMuffin to the order.

"You should really eat more than that. Neither one of us ate anything for supper last night." She told Rachel, who shrugged.

"This is a McDonalds and I'm vegan," the girl explained, "my options are kind of limited."

"Why didn't you say anything earlier?"

The conversation paused while April handed their money to the lady at the first window and then retrieved their food.

"When was I supposed to mention my eating habits?" Rachel laughed as they left the McDonald's parking lot, "When I was being kidnapped, or when I was trying to run away?"

"Fair point."

Veganism aside, however, as Rachel wolfed down her hash brown and sipped her cup of coffee, she had to admit that the extra McMuffin smelled amazing.

"Just take the toppings off of it," April suggested the third time she caught the girl staring longingly at the sandwich.

"I'd never be able to get all of the cheese off." Rachel replied sadly.

"Fine then. I'll eat the damn thing."

"You do that."

April stuck out her tongue, and unwrapped the sandwich. She'd just taken her first bite when her phone started ringing.

"Hello?" She said, answering and spraying her mouth full of eggs, cheese and bits of muffin all over the dashboard. "Oh hey, Will!"

"Mr. Shuester?" Rachel asked, only for April to hiss at her to be quiet. She didn't want to though, not when this could be her only chance to let somebody know where she was. Instead she repeated herself loudly.

April frowned and spoke into her phone; "There's nobody with me, Will, it's just me and my cat on our way to the City of Angels."

"That's only true if you've named your cat Rachel Berry."

April scowled and disconnected the call.

"Now see what you made me do?" she whined as she opened her window and tossed her phone out on to the road. Rachel watched in satisfaction as the device bounced and skittered across the pavement.

"We could just go back, you know."

"Aw sweetie, you know it's far too late for that now."

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Note: Reviews are welcome.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Glee

* * *

"Good bye Missouri," Rachel murmured as she passed the 'you are now exiting Missouri' sign, "hello Oklahoma."

April hadn't been willing to risk stopping at another hotel after the incident with the phone earlier, so the two had switched seats and now Rachel was driving while the blonde snored from the passenger seat.

It had taken them some time to figure out how to adjust the seat so Rachel's feet could reach the pedals, but once the sun had set and the interstate had cleared considerably, the petite brunette was enjoying her time at the wheel.

She probably should have tried to turn around and drive back to Ohio, but that idea was starting to lose its appeal. There was a whole new world out in the headlights, while behind lay only disappointments. The further she got from her home town, the more she learned about herself and what she wanted out of life. She realized that since they had left, she hadn't thought once about Finn, or Quinn, or the Glee club, or even her reasons for visiting April in the first place.

'This must be what she meant about finding perspective out on the road,' Rachel pondered as she checked her speed and glanced quickly at the green sign telling her the mileage from where they were to Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

She was nervous about driving through cities and hoped that they would be able to go through them when the roads weren't too busy. She knew she would have to find I-40 in Oklahoma City, and was kind of planning on waking April up for that. She had only gotten her learners permit a couple of months ago, and wasn't sure she was ready for anything that major.

'No use worrying about that yet,' she reminded herself. It was hard to worry about anything just then, and for a time that night it was almost like she had the entire state of Oklahoma completely to herself.

Remembering all of the horror stories she'd heard throughout her life about interstates and city traffic, she decided to stop for gas just east of Tulsa. Pulling into a Texaco, she grabbed her purse and limped into the station. Her first stop was the restroom, as she had been driving for four hours and her bladder had been protesting progressively louder for the last two of them.

There she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and grimaced. To say that her eye-makeup was messy would be an understatement. It was currently everywhere other than where she had originally put it. On top of that, even her limp ponytail only seemed to emphasize how oily her hair had become.

"Ugh," she groaned, quickly grabbing some paper towels and getting them wet. She gave her face a good scrub and twisted her ponytail into a messy bun. Then, her cheeks still red from the harsh paper towels, she put on her most dazzling show-face, and exited the restroom.

On her way to the counter, she grabbed some snacks, a cheap pair of hot pink plastic sunglasses and a couple of cups of coffee, when she spotted the Oklahoma souvenirs and felt her mouth forming a smile. She added a 'labor conquers all things' baseball hat to her pile and added the money for gas.

"Thank you, have a great night!" she called cheerfully to the night clerk as she immediately crammed the hat on her head and left with the rest of her purchases.

* * *

April was standing next to the truck looking frantic.

"I thought you'd run away again," she explained as Rachel began to pump the gas.

"Not likely with this ankle," the girl snorted.

"I'm serious," April replied, her face had gone completely white and Rachel stopped laughing and waited. "Will must have gotten in touch with your parents. There was just an Amber Alert on the radio."

"How much do they know?"

"Oh, not much," April replied dismissively, "just what we look like and where we're going."

"Shit."

Rachel put the cap back on the gas tank and the girls climbed back into the truck.

"I'm going to need you to drive through Oklahoma City," she informed April.

"No problem," the blonde replied.

"Does Mr. Shu know we're driving this truck? Didn't you used to have something more expensive?"

"You're right. The alert said to be on the lookout for a blonde woman driving a fancy car with a terrified brunette in the passenger seat, not some rusty old truck. Woohoo, we're gonna be fine! Just try not to look too terrified, and wake me up when we get close to Oklahoma City."

The song playing on the radio was about being in a place that was vast enough, and far enough away from home that a person could feel free enough to experience life and do things that they wouldn't ordinarily do without somebody trying to advise or judge them otherwise. Rachel sang along softly as she drove beneath the endless sky full of stars. She felt she could relate.

* * *

The sun was just starting to come up when Rachel pulled off of the road. She had just passed the ten miles to Oklahoma City sign, and it was time to wake April. She quickly found another McDonald's, where the two went inside to use the restrooms and get coffee. Everything was going fine until the tired college student at the register gave Rachel a scrutinizing look and told her that she looked familiar.

Rachel had to make an effort to not look at April when she felt the older woman tense up. She suspected now that their photos had been shown on the news, and she could only hope that as she stood here counting out change, her current yearbook photo wasn't smiling at them now from the television behind her.

'It will be alright,' Rachel reminded herself as she forced herself to act natural. 'You are Rachel Barbara Berry, future Broadway star. Chill, bitch, you've got this.'

"Maybe you know Jessica, my older sister she's studying at the community college, and lots of people say that we look alike," Rachel suggested, hoping that she sounded blasé, like this was something she said all of the time.

"Maybe," the cashier agreed doubtfully.

"That's probably it," Rachel replied brightly with a smile. "It was nice meeting you! Next time you see, Jessica, tell her that I'm the cute one."

"Think she bought it?" Rachel demanded once she was back in the passenger seat holding Mr. Fluffy-Britches and April was merging back onto the interstate.

"Let's hope." April replied. "Just out of curiosity though, what would you have said if she had asked for Jessica's last name?"

Rachel snorted. "Probably something stupid like 'Messica.'"

"Jessica Messica." April repeated dryly. "Good lord, we really are screwed."

* * *

Note: This is the note where I ask you lovely readers to forgive any location errors, or even to gently correct them in the reviews. I've never personally driven from Ohio to California. Of the nine states mentioned I've been to five of them, and the events in this story are a combination of research and imagination. If anyone from Oklahoma (if I've already completely botched OK, editing is always an option), New Mexico, Arizona or California knows important basic things about I-40 or even Route 66 through these states that I can't figure out from Wikipedia, State road maps, TripAdvisor and Bing/Google Images, share this in the reviews if you'd like. The girls are trying to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible, especially after this new development, but if there's anything I need to incorporate that they couldn't miss if they tried, I'd love to hear about it. Specifically, I'd really like to know what it's like to drive through the desert, Native American Lands, major lakes or rivers(they always look so tiny on the map), and if you can see any of the canyons from the road.

Also know that, while location is important because this is a road trip story, the main story takes place in the truck and in the characters thought processes. I will be completing this story within a reasonable period of time using the resources at my disposal, even if that means that I make quite a bit of it up.

Finally, thanks to all of you for reading/ continuing to read this story. I'm actually having a lot of fun writing it.

McA


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Glee is not mine.

* * *

As the music trailed off at the end of the song, Rachel sat back in her seat with a truly satisfied grin on her face. She and April had just finished belting out an old country song about a woman begging another not to steal her man.

"Girl, you really got a set of pipes!" April squealed breathlessly.

"Me? You were amazing! I can't believe how great our voices sound together."

"Maybe we should go into business together. We'd make one hell of an act!"

"I have always fantasized about running away to New York."

"See? It would be the perfect arrangement! So maybe it's not New York. You're young, you don't know what you want. Maybe you could have a new dream."

"I could always try my luck in Hollywood and move to New York later," Rachel mused. She wasn't seriously considering it, but it was surprisingly fun to pretend that it was an option. She still had business to take care of in Ohio.

"I've always known that I was meant to become famous. It's gonna happen, I can practically feel it."

"Me too."

Their excitement was short lived, however, when the radio station went to a news break and they were still the top story.

" _Recent developments have been discovered about the disappearance of Rachel Berry. Police have been following leads in Oklahoma, where the girl's credit card was reportedly used in a Texaco Station early this morning. There has also been an anonymous tip that two women matching the description of Berry and Rhodes stopped at a McDonalds on I-44 outside of Oklahoma City. There are still so many questions that haven't been answered. Just how reliable really is the source that told police he had spoken with the subject and heard Berry shouting in the background? What sort of relationship did Berry and Rhodes have to begin with? At this point, April Rhodes doesn't appear to be dangerous, so police are expecting to find Rachel alive. If anybody has any information about this case, call this hotline immediately."_

After reading off the numbers for the police tip hotline, the radio news guy announced that he had Rachel's father on the phone.

"Oh no," Rachel murmured.

" _Rachel sweetie, if you're listening, honey, please come home to us. Your daddy and I just want you to know that we love you, and that we'll do anything to get you back. Everything is going to be alright sweetheart, just hang in there and be strong. We love you."_

Rachel's eyes filled with tears as she heard the pain in her father's voice. She knew that she had done that to them, and she vowed right then and there to make it up to them someday.

That wasn't all Rachel's father had to say though.

" _No, LeRoy, you can't say that on the radio. Just let me finish reading the speech we agreed on, please? Oh, you're still recording? Oh bleep it. As for the monster that took our baby girl, we aren't concerned with what happens to you. We don't intend to press charges at this time, we just want our little girl back. Just know that if you hurt one hair on her precious head, we will see you prosecuted. You've picked the wrong Berry, and you should know that if you do not cooperate, we will not rest until you go to jail. I've seen your recent photos. Orange is definitely not your color."_

"He's right," April said quietly. "Orange is one of my worst colors."

Seeing the silent tears streaming out from beneath Rachel's sunglasses, April turned off the radio.

"Please don't say anything," Rachel said quietly, burying her face in Mr. Fluffy-Britches. The cat laid its head on her shoulder and purred softly.

April nodded and stared out at the road ahead. The phrase 'it's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt' echoed through her mind and the guilt ate at her. 'Sorry' didn't seem like a strong enough sentiment for what she was feeling as she listened to the girl sniffling in the passenger seat. She pulled her flask from the console where it had been displaced by their coffee cups and offered it.

Rachel didn't say a word as she took the flask and drank deeply. She didn't know right then what to do with her feelings, so she was determined not to feel them.

"Hey now, that's nota YooHoo."

Rachel glared.

"I may be a monster who kidnaps and gives alcohol to minors," April declared, "But one of the first rules of Adulting is to know your limits. Since you don't, I'm cutting you off. Believe me, this hurts me more than it hurts you."

She took the flask back and then chucked it out the window.

"What is it with you and windows?"

April bit back a smile. "Got you to talk to me, didn't I?"

"April, I need you to tell me the truth. You never have told me why you wouldn't stop and let me out before we left Lima."

"It was probably everything you said about wanting to change so that people would like you. That's what I always did, and I wouldn't give that advice to anyone. Frankly, dear, you sounded like you needed an adventure."

"So this was entirely about me then?"

"Aw Rache; the truth is that if I had stopped back there, I never would have left."

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Note: Thanks for reading! So this chapter was a bit of a downer, but it had to happen in order to tell the rest of the story. Just a few more chapters left after this. Reviews are always welcome and appreciated!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Glee

* * *

"Let's stop at a Walmart," Rachel suggested. She was tired, and April had been yawning for the last hundred miles or so, neither of them had been able to get much sleep since they'd turned off the radio. They had been in Texas for about an hour, and didn't have far to go before they'd cross into New Mexico.

"The police might be watching us," April argued.

"If they had eyes on us right now, don't you think they would have pulled us over already? The news was on earlier saying that the police weren't able to get any footage from my trip to the Texaco, so they've decided that my card was probably stolen. The only thing they really have on us is what we look like, and that's something we can change pretty easily."

"If you say so," April nodded hesitantly, "But which one us should go inside? We can't both go in together, someone might spot us."

"It's got to be you."

"Why me?"

"The recent photo they've been showing of you is an extremely touched up head-shot." Rachel explained, "It makes you look about twenty years younger than you do right now. Your hair and make-up are flawless, and you look like a completely different person."

"I'm twenty five."

"Sure you are.

"It's true!"

"Uh-huh. I'm just saying that you would have the least chance of being recognized."

"I'll call myself Jessica Messica."

"I'll never live that down, will I?"

"Nope!"

They took the next exit and pulled into a Walmart parking lot. April pulled an old fashion magazine from between the seats and handed it to Rachel.

"Remember, stay low. Wear your hat and your sunglasses, and keep this in in front of your face. I'll be back soon."

"Got it," Rachel groaned, they had been over this already.

While April ran into the store, Rachel cracked the windows, leaned her seat back, dropped the magazine over her chest and took a nap.

* * *

She awoke quickly as the truck started. The skin on her face felt tight. She looked over at the driver and April grinned back at her. Only now April had very short curly hair, and it was bright red.

"How long was I asleep?"

"I can't be sure, but my hair took at least two hours. By the look of that sunburn you've got going there though, I'd you were out for a while."

Rachel groped for the sun visor and gasped in horror when she saw her beet-red face.

'That's it,' she decided, closing the visor and sitting back, 'I'm not looking in another mirror until I get home.'

"Now we're going to check into a hotel and do yours!"

* * *

Rachel stuck to her decision to go along with anything and not look in the mirror, but it was difficult after April explained what she was planning to do. In the trash lay the bottle of bleach they had used earlier, and on the sink sat the box of bright purple temporary hair color.

"This is not what I had in mind." Rachel was sitting in the bathtub wrapped in a towel with her wet hair piled on top of her head.

"Relax," April laughed as she stood at the mirror playing with her new hair style, "you're gonna look great!"

"I don't care about that. I just wanted different, and I guess this does fit that bill."

"Boo, you're no fun."

"I just don't want to worry about people following us around because we look familiar."

"I guess I can see that," April agreed, "alright. Time to wash the dye out!"

April closed the bathroom door and Rachel rinsed her hair. As she watched the water around her feet turn purple, she was surprised to find herself feeling relieved. She had thought she would panic, but since she couldn't imagine herself with purple hair, she also doubted that anyone else would be able to either, and that was the disguise that she needed for now.

When the water ran clear, she wrapped one towel around her hair and a second around her body and stepped out of the shower. Toweling off quickly, she pulled on the least offensive of the clothes April had purchased at Walmart. The older woman's tastes ran towards skimpy and skin tight. Rachel herself was wearing yoga pants and a fitted V-necked t-shirt with an innuendo printed across her chest.

"Remind me not to ask you for fashion advice," she said as she walked out into the main part of the room.

"Same to you, little miss animal sweaters and Mary Janes." April responded. She was perched on one of the beds flipping through the channels on the television. "Show me your hair!"

Rachel obliged, squeezing the towel a couple of times to get more of the excess moisture out before removing it and shaking out her lavender locks.

"It's perfect!" April squealed, clapping her hands together.

Rachel smiled shyly at the compliment, and changed the subject.

"Where do you want to go for supper? I'm starving."

"I saw a little diner just down the way." April responded. "There was a sign on the window advertising all you can eat fries this afternoon."

Rachel opened her mouth to raise the usual objections, when April cut her off.

"If nothing else, you could probably order a salad and some kind of potato."

Rachel nodded and went to dry her hair. Despite not wanting to look in the mirror, standing in front of it blow drying her hair, it was hard not to. She caught a glimpse of herself. The purple hair. The strange clothes. She looked like a different person.

* * *

They decided to walk over to the diner. There wasn't a lot of traffic on the road, and when they arrived there were only four other occupied tables in the joint.

"Hi, how are ya'll doin'?" a woman with gray hair and a red checkered apron greeted them as the cowbell on the door signaled their arrival.

"We're great!" April said with a grin as the woman led them to a booth near the kitchen.

"That's what I like to hear!" the woman replied, "What would you like for drinks?"

"Water for me," Rachel said.

"Can I get a tequila sunrise?" April asked.

"Sure you can!" the woman responded. "I'll be right out with those and a couple of menus'!"

"She's enthusiastic," April murmured after the woman had walked away. Rachel shushed her.

"There's nothing wrong with a little excitement. Maybe she's had a great day!"

The girls were quiet once their drinks and menus came. Rachel looked over hers and decided to go with a salad and a baked potato.

While waiting for their food, they sat quietly, not sure what to say to one another now that they had time to relax. Rachel worked the crossword puzzle on the backside of the children's menu, while April studied her nails.

"The first thing I'm doing when we get to LA is getting a manicure. No, forget that, I'm booking a whole day at a spa."

"That's nice," Rachel replied, "I'm heading straight for the airport and taking the first flight home."

"You're no fun. We're taking a cross-country road trip, you've got to do something to commemorate the arrival at our destination! "

"I just can't stand the thought of my dads worrying about me." Rachel responded, "And I have school. And the play."

"You don't sound so excited about that last part."

"Well what about you? You just abandoned the glee club."

"I never should have gone back. I'm way too old for all of that high school shit."

"Sometimes I think I am too."

"You're sixteen. You've got your whole life ahead of you. You shouldn't feel like that yet."

"I don't know what to tell you. I just get so tired of all of the drama."

"You also cause most of it."

Rachel was left to think on that when their food arrived and the lady who brought it sat down at their table.

"This is delicious," April declared after biting into her burger.

Rachel held back a remark about eating dead cow, and instead focused on seasoning her potato.

"Aren't you going to put butter on that?" the waitress asked.

"Not unless you've got some Earth Balance in the back."

"She's vegan," April explained when the lady looked confused, adding something about it probably being a phase.

"It's not a phase."

"You know how kids are these days." April said, looking helplessly at the other woman. "What can you do? Everything here is great. I'm sure you need to get back to work."

"Naw," the lady replied, "This is the largest crowd this place has had in weeks. I'm afraid we're on our last leg."

"That's too bad. This burger is delicious"

"Yeah, that's just how my mama always made them. This place was her dream. We bought it with the money she'd saved for me to go to college. It was my idea. I wanted to serve mama's recipes to people, what did I need college for? Back in my day, girls went to college more to find a husband anyway. So we bought this old place, it used to be a Dairy Queen. We fixed it up, got all the licenses and certifications. Did you know that the government has to regulate everything these days? By the time we finally got to open our doors to customers, we were nearly broke!"

"Well, it looks like you've done pretty well for yourself." Rachel commented, pausing between bites of her potato.

"Yeah, we've definitely had our moments. We were the most popular place in town until that huge buffet place opened up a few years ago. Now nobody has time for a little ol' mom and pop restaurant. I suppose there is always going to be someone who is better than you at the thing you love. That's just life, I guess. Nothing is ever guaranteed."

The lady apologized for taking up their time, and said something about going to check on her other customers. Rachel and April finished their meals in silence and after a dessert of fruit pie, left a big tip and headed back to their hotel.

"Well if that wasn't the universe trying to tell us something, I don't know what is." April declared. "I mean, what are the odds of a struggling restaurant owner telling that story to a couple of dreamers like us?"

"I think she probably tells it to everybody." Rachel replied. "She seemed pretty lonely."

"It's always lonely at the top." April argued.

"She's not at the top though, and that's what makes me so sad. She's probably given up so many things in her lifetime to make her dream happen, and that restaurant will probably be closed in a couple of months. What's she supposed to do then? I bet there's no back-up plan."

"Are we still talking about the restaurant?"

"What else would we be talking about?"

"I'm tired, Rachel. This whole trip was a huge mistake. Let's just go back to Ohio." April said after a moment. Her eyes were downcast, her posture stooped, and she suddenly looked very old.

"No. Oh hell no. Don't you even think about turning back now! We're almost there. I want my picture taken with the Hollywood sign!" Rachel declared vehemently, surprising even herself.

April didn't say anything for a minute as they arrived at their hotel room and she opened the door. Once inside, she burst out laughing.

"What is so funny?"

"We can't take any pictures, neither one of us has a phone!" the former blonde choked out though her giggles. Rachel stared at her for a second, and then she began to chuckle as well.

* * *

Note: The bigger the chapter, the longer the writing time. I'm hoping to finish this is about three more chapter and maybe an epilogue. Reviews are welcome!


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